Three takeaways from Texas A&M's dramatic loss to Alabama in the SEC tournament

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ST LOUIS, MO - MARCH 08: Collin Sexton #2 of the Alabama Crimson Tide celebrates after making a three point shot against the Texas A&M Aggies during the second round of the 2018 SEC Basketball Tournament at Scottrade Center on March 8, 2018 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

ST. LOUIS -- Ninth-seeded Alabama knocked off No. 8 Texas A&M, 71-70, with a buzzer beater from Collin Sexton to knock the Aggies out of the SEC tournament.

1. Bama wins the battle of the guards

In the matchup between two of the SEC's better freshman guards, A&M's T.J. Starks and Alabama's Collin Sexton, it was the latter who had the upper hand. Sexton scored 27 points in the Crimson Tide's win, including the game-winning layup at the buzzer. He outdueled Starks, who put A&M ahead with a 3-pointer with 4.2 left and scored a team-high 23 points. Both players traded buckets in the final minute leading up to Sexton's game-winner.

And that wasn't the only action between the two guys. Sexton was whistled for a flagrant foul in the second half for trying to pull Starks to the floor as he was running back on defense. It's the second such altercation between both players. Starks was ejected from last Saturday's win against Crimson Tide after he popped Sexton in the head.

2. Close, but not quite

A&M looked out of it at one point in the second half as the Crimson Tide led by as many as 12. But after Alabama's offense went cold in the second half, the Aggies made a comeback and were able to eventually take the lead. But all of that was negated by Sexton's game-winning bucket.

3. A&M's offense struggles

The Aggies shot less than 40 percent for the third straight game. Despite the strong second half, A&M knocked down 39.3 percent of its field goals against the Crimson Tide. Even during A&M's three-game winning streak, A&M's offense struggled, which is something coach Billy Kennedy noted before the tournament. It'll be something to keep an eye on if the Aggies get a berth in the NCAA tournament.